When people think of Ronnie James Dio I think it would be safe to say that 1983’s epic DIO solo album Holy Diver would come to one’s mind!
My intro to Dio was when he was fronting Black Sabbath and if you’re talking about favourite Sabbath albums I would tell you it would be 1981’s Mob Rules album just from the standpoint of that’s when I discovered Sabbath back in 1981. Besides Mob Rules had a bunch of classic tracks on it!
A short while later like what happens in so many bands Sabbath and Dio got all silly with each other and Dio split and took at the time current Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice and they formed Dio along with bassist and Dio’s former band member in Rainbow, Jimmy Bain(RIP).
Of course with it being 1983 Hot Shot wiz guitarists were the things to come by and Dio recruited Vivian Campbell who basically takes Holy Diver into a whole other ballgame with his playing!
Its amazing at how this album still sounds 34 friggin years later!
Opener Stand Up and Shout has the Dio tour bus ripping down the highway with the police in hot pursuit. In other words this song sets the menu for the rest of the album. Stand Up…makes you indeed Stand Up and take notice throughout. The pace is frantic. Campbell easily becomes the one to watch on this album as he sets fire to his fretboard on the solo part of the track while Appice just slams around on his kit like nobodies business!
Track two and its the title track Holy Diver. What can I add to this song that already hasn’t been spoken or written about? I will say I love the groove set forth by Appice/Bain and another killer solo by Campbell and of course you get Ronnie’s lyrics and the way he sings. How about that opening lyrical line..
Holy Diver
You’ve been down too long in the midnight sea
Oh what’s becoming of me..
I totally think of the album cover of Holy Diver(with band mascot Murray whipping around that chain at the priest) when I hear Dio sing this line..
Jump The Tiger!
From there Gypsy soars right out of the gate with Campbell riffing like there is no tomorrow. ‘She was right out of Hell” sings Ronnie. Love the stomp of this track as the drums/bass/guitar just plow this song forward. Another huge solo from Vivian as that fret board is smoked!
Caught In The Middle has the pace set with Campbell and another straight ahead rocker. Dio soars vocally on this track
Don’t Talk To Strangers has to my ears a total Sabbath vibe as the song starts off real chill with the blend of acoustic and electric guitars and even Vinnie who was laying wast to his skit on the first 4 tracks even gets a moment of relaxation but before long the song takes off and ramps up quick! This track chills out towards the end and once agin picks up steam….
Appice sets the tone right off the bat with Straight From The Heart with his attack of the drums and Dio lays down the law with his voice and Campbell plays for his supper and man if anything this song by the guitarist sounds like a Zak Wylde composition… I’m thinking Zakk nicked some stuff of Vivian…
Invisible starts off all trippy dippy like musically but rolls right back into familiar hard rock territory with more superstar axemanship.
Ok! Raise of hands. Who has not heard Rainbow In The Dark? Exactly we all have as it in indeed in an all time classic and man what a freakin fantastic guitar solo. This song has a wicked verse/chorus/everything. Like that twisted psycho like keyboard that’s swirls in an out at times.
Hey who woke up the wolves? Shame On The Night is another Sab like scorcher that rolls at a medieval pace that even has an evil Dio like scream at the end. The song just lets itself go at the end in a Sabbath like crawl…
What a debut solo album for Ronnie James. What a scorcher of a debut for Vivian Campbell who comes out of nowhere and rockets these songs to the top. The dude shows us that back in 83 that the concept of great hard rock singer mashing up with a hot-shot 6 stringer could reap huge benefits!
Too bad that when Campbell joined Def Leppard in 1992 they didn’t let Vivian wail on the guitar like he does on the early Dio albums.
Holy Diver proves that and basically made me purchase 1984’s Last In Line right away upon its release.
I always wondered what Ronnie’s old Sab mates(Tony and Geezer) thought at the time around 1983 when they heard Holy Diver for the first time as Sabbath was out recruiting Ian Gillian for Sabs Born Again album?
I’m thinking Geezer and Tony muttered something like “Ahh freakin fizzle sticks. We gotta step up!”
Good to read this one holds up so well – and I enjoyed your visuals here too, from police chases to smoking fretboards, nice Deke!
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HAHAHA….
Cops is filmed live on location!
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Nice one!! I have this one on vinyl (still mint condition). It sounds great and gets a listen on a regular basis.
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As well as it should get spun frequently! Great stuff…Destroyer of Harmony wrote an excellent piece on music from 1983 which I believe was his fav year of music…
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I will have to look for that post. I did one on 1983 and 1987.
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Yes thats right!
Well 87 will be forefront and centre on Oct 6th when the Whitesnake Deluxe comes out…
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Plus Hysteria deluxe last month.
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Ha..yes how could i for get that one!
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Great write-up. I dig this one, but hadn’t really knew where this came in terms of Dios’s output – solo and Sabbath (I much prefer this to most of Sabbath’s post-Ozzy output).
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Fair enough…its like Ronnie Dio shifted gears from Iommi’s doom riffs into Campbell’s shit hot rock riffs…
And it worked!
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I also didn’t realise the Campbell guy went on to Def Lep. But aye, I like this one.
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Nice write up fella. Some great music and some real lyrical howlers too, if memory serves; lots about gypsy women and riding tigers. Spot on with Vivian Campbell, I think he’s a great player.
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Thanks ….
Campbell was right up there with the other young axe slingers but never really got his due as guys like Jake E Lee got more press by being with Ozzy esp following Rhoads etc…
Campbell as I pointed out in my Def Lep review of the Adrenalize tour had the more thought out solo whereas Collen’s solo was a million notes pre second kinda like the bastard brother of Malmsteen….
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Nailed it. This one’s a monster!
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What a creative run Dio had…
Each band he has been in has at least one classic album ..
Sabbath- take your pic..Heaven and Hell or Mob Rules
Rainbow- Rising
and solo
Dio- Holy Diver
Thats impressive 3 different acts ..three classic’s….
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He truly was one of a kind, and a master.
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Roger That!
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Jump! Jump! Still a perfect album. Viv’s performance is godly.
But is it a monster drowning a priest or a priest drowning a monster? That’s what I want to know!
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Great question Sherlock! You could spin that both ways….
Makes for a great discussion but i’m sure back in 83 certain people out there were probably thinking it was the priest being drowned ….
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I just picked this up today at Walmart for $5 and listened to it all the way through for the first time. Reading my feed before bed at Deke has written a review on it!
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Great score for $5!
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Awesome! Actually saw Dio with Rainbow back in the day. Killer show. Here is the ticket stub…
https://thestubcollection.wordpress.com/2015/11/09/reo-speedwagon-ritchie-blackmores-rainbow-and-the-godz-6101978/
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Nice! I like your blog with the stories to go along with the ticket stubs!
Great idea and continued success!
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Thanks man! Rock on.
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